March 7, 2024

THURSDAY 3.7.24

Racism, mental health event provides safe space

BY GABRIELLE BARNETT gabarnett@vwu.edu

On Feb. 23, the Office of Student Health hosted the event “How Racism Affects Mental Health” in the Kramer Lounge.

April Christman, director of Student Health, explained that this annual event is intended to promote awareness during African-American History Month. “We certainly wanted to do something relevant to racial identity and Black History Month,” Christman said. The event, which lasted two hours, encouraged participants to paint while discussing their feelings and experiences with racism.

The event was headed by Christman and her colleague, Brandon Foster. For the set-up, they handed out facts about the physical and mental toll of racism and displayed flyers on tables so that participants could learn and discuss while they painted on the variety of canvases provided by Student Health Services.

One handout described how racism affects health overall, such as by causing more stress, worse sleep and increased risks for cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressures. The other explained how

racism increased mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, emotional distress and PTSD. In addition, to help with the emotions associated with this difficult topic, Grace, a therapy dog, mingled throughout the event.

Division III recruits for wins, talent

BY SYDNEE WASHINGTON sawashington2@vwu.edu

The recruitment process of major Division I schools can be seen all over the media. The public watches ranked recruits go on official and unofficial visits. It is a competition of who can offer the most money; who has the most elaborate facilities; which school offers the best chances of elevating their recruit to play at the professional level.

What is often not seen is the recruitment processes of Division III schools. Weighing in on this process, coaches shared their strategies and challenges when it comes to recruitment at this level, as well as the differences, if any, that exist between the Division I, II and III levels.

Commenting on the difference between the three divisions, Women’s Soccer Head Coach Jeffery Bowers said, “Obviously the biggest difference between Division I and II is just the athletic scholarship aspect of things.”

Without the ability to offer athletic scholarships, it can pose a challenge

See RECRUITING Page 8

Miller honored for university’s diversity

BY LILY RESLINK lbreslink@vwu.edu

In light of President Scott D. Miller being among several honorees at the 2024 Hampton Roads United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Mayors’ Masked Ball for the university’s efforts in educational equity, voices across campus shared their perspectives. The ball is a fundraiser and celebration that, according to the UNCF website, “[focuses] on raising public awareness and large corporate and individual donations to support deserving students

through UNCF.” The event, which took place at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on March 6, is one of many hosted across the nation by the organization.

The UNCF mission statement reads, “UNCF envisions a nation where all Americans have equal access to a college education that prepares them for rich intellectual lives, competitive and fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship and service to our nation.”

This aligns with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statements that VWU has across its website and other media.

Tennis focuses on team strength

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu

It’s a new era for the tennis team at Virginia Wesleyan, categorized by young players on both the men’s and women’s teams. The women’s team has five firstyears and only four upperclassmen. The men’s team has 17 men, six of whom are first-years.

Leading the teams is Director of Men’s and Women’s Tennis Toni Bickford, who is entering her third season as head coach. With both teams, she is trying to form a culture she likes, but it looks different for each team.

For the women, she’s almost starting from scratch. After graduating three seniors last season, Bickford is leaning on her firstyears more than she normally would.

“We focused on kind of building a team culture for the freshman because they’re stepping up in very big shoes,” Bickford

said.

Team environment is something the women’s team has struggled with in the past and they wanted to make it a priority this season and in seasons to come.

Bickford and her team are also prioritizing making sure they are in the right mindset, especially coming off a tough match loss. “We just try to focus on the little improvements every day,” Bickford said.

For the men, their season started with a 0-9 loss against Christopher Newport University. Senior Stefan Zrnic echoed similar words to Bickford. “After most matches, we’ll meet and talk about what we liked and didn’t like and stuff we could have done better,” Zrnic said.

The men’s strategy seems to be working. They continued their spring season with a

See TENNIS Page 8

Hot Girl Walks honor Women’s History Month -- Page 4

Students earn money beneath the needle

-- Page 6

A statement from Miller on the DEI section of VWU’s website reads, “We try to be leaders in the area of diversity and inclusion for Coastal Virginia.”

Two weeks after the Feb. 12 news release on the UNCF recognition, Miller announced that he was extending his contract through 2029 in the Feb. 26 Nota Bene. Junior Judah King, president of the Black Student Union (BSU), provided his perspective on the recognition. “It broadcasts that the

See UNCF Page 2

“It’s really going to be everyone’s individual journey.” -- Director of Student

Engagement

Jen Cohen

“Donating plasma is not only a spectacular option for a monetary income, but also a medical advantage to the community.” -- Opinions Editor Madelyn Yale

“I

Foster explained how Counseling Services worked to create a safe space for this event to talk about heavy topics. “In

See MENTAL HEALTH Page 2

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle Counselor Brandon Foster attended the racism and mental health event hosted by the Counseling Center in the Kramer Lounge of the Batten Student Center.

VWU Flickr|Courtesy President Miller attended the Masked Ball alongside Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, U.S. Congressman Bobby Scott and Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck.

Josh Pagett|Marlin Chronicle

First-year Ole Behrmann played #2 Singles against Chowan University on Feb. 29 and won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

UNCF

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

university is going in the right direction,” King said.

Students have also put forth suggestions for improvement. Junior Dominique Tatum said the school could benefit from being “more open to student feedback.”

King elaborated on this statement. “We’re the ones pursuing an education, so I believe that we should have a more active role in deciding what that looks like,” he said.

King acknowledged the existence of platforms that allow students to speak up, as well as the roadblocks that may impact their effectiveness. “I know there have been opportunities for students to voice their opinions, but can’t because the time of the opportunity may conflict with their schedule,” King said. “It has to be at a time and place when and where students are available and able to come and voice their opinions.”

According to the 13News Now coverage of Miller’s UNCF recognition, Miller said, “Having tremendously diverse communities within five miles of this campus, it’s our role as the major private institution in Virginia Beach to take a leadership role in working with the community to further that diversity and discussion.”

Despite what King deemed as a positive environment, he explained challenges he has encountered in his time at the university. “I will admit that this campus is very inclusive, and this is a very safe and welcoming space for students,” King said. “But there are instances where people have come to me frustrated, as the president of [BSU], because they were discriminated against and they didn’t feel supported.”

That being said, King said that these achievements and recognitions toward the school do mirror some progress that he’s taken note of.

“I do think that we’re doing good, but we could do better.”

Judah King

Since he was a first-year, King said he has noticed an increase in racial diversity in incoming classes, an observation that others agree with.

Sophomore Kyla Robberect said she’s noticed more diversity on campus now compared to when she first toured VWU during her freshman year of high school.

According to the university news release on the UNCF recognition, “Currently, 22.4% of VWU’s study body is African American, many of which are first generation college students.”

The university has enacted several policies and programs with the intention of increasing accessibility and fostering greater diversity.

Some examples that this news release highlighted include a student scholarship program focused on “meeting the needs

MENTAL HEALTH

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

of first generation and historically underserved and disenfranchised populations,” joining the Liberal Arts Colleges Racial Equity Leadership Alliance (LACRELA) and introducing the Coastal Advantage program that covers tuition for qualifying commuter students with household incomes below $60,000.

In another DEI-focused effort, VWU Global Campus and the Virginia African American Cultural Center (VAACC) partnered to produce the lecture series “Unity in Knowledge.”

As a part of this, Dr. Jeffery Toussaint, chair of Sociology and Criminal Justice, led the workshop, “Getting to the Bottom of Critical Race Theory Controversies & Understanding Its Importance,” on Feb. 21 at the Williams Farm Recreation Center.

Toussaint credited Dr. Deidre Gonsalves-Jackson, dean of Virginia Wesleyan University Global Campus and professor of Biology, for setting up this series. Gonsalves-Jackson helped kick off the series with the presentation entitled, “Using Diversity to Promote Diversity in STEM.”

Having participated in it, Toussaint spoke on the benefits of the series. “It’s bringing academia to folks who may not have access to people who discuss these things from an academic position,” Toussaint said. He said that the series helped to address the question of, “How can we use knowledge to actually impact and shape people’s lives in the real world?”

An obstacle to maximizing the reach of these lectures, Toussaint said, is that the people in attendance are unlikely to be the ones who would be most influenced by them.

He called it “preaching to the choir,” and said that the “million dollar question” is how to get the message to people who are less inclined to seek it out.

In terms of addressing issues that concern DEI, Toussaint pointed to the bigger picture. “Wesleyan is just a part of every other higher education institution,” Toussaint said. “All these higher education institutions are a reflection of our society, right, so this is a structural problem, not an individual institutional issue.”

Although Toussaint does not undermine the importance of individual responsibility, he said many problems are embedded into larger societal structures.

Regarding the state of DEI at Virginia Wesleyan, King said, “I do think that we’re doing good, but we could do better.”

According to the website, constant improvement is part of the plan: “We are committed to continual efforts to build a community that is not only welcoming and supportive of all, but that also empowers all members of the Virginia Wesleyan family to have a voice and to be advocates for themselves and for each other.”

Beginning in 2020, the university outlined a plan to 2030 entitled, “Forging our Future: Building on Strength 20202030.” One of the plan’s core values is fostering an “Inclusive and Caring Community that empowers members to form meaningful relationships through listening, understanding, and communication,” indicating that DEI is on the long-term radar for the university.

correlation between the topic and painting.

“The painting was more of an art therapy influence where sometimes when we are doing an activity, we’re more likely to be reflective,” Christman said. She described the painting as a vital part of the event. The addition of painting was an aid to initiate conversation about the difficult topic of racism among students.

A poll from Gallup indicates that one in five Black students face discrimination, therefore, events such as these are relevant for college students.

This number is higher at private for-profit institutions, where one in three students face frequent or occasional discrimination.

Lily Reslink|Marlin Chronicle

Information is sourced from VWU website page entitled “Building A Campus Culture Of Diversity And Inclusion.”

had encountered and share them with her friend, sophomore Opeyemi Kareem-Ojo.

Christman said she was unsure whether there are events like this on other college campuses. She said racism is a hard topic to handle, but a necessary

society today, it may be hard to have these conversations. People might be defensive or vulnerable and may not be able to have those conversations easily,” Foster said.

Sophomore Anika Valentine was one of the many participants at the event and said she enjoyed the painting aspect. Painting “really helps with your mental health,” Valentine said. “It’s very fun and relaxing and everyone gets to get together and talk.”

Many students came in groups with their friends to paint for the event, although Valentine said she initially did not understand the

According to Gallup, many private for-profit schools are Predominately White Institutions (PWIs), where there are more white students than students from racial minority backgrounds. Valentine pointed out that the issue is often not taken seriously. “Racism is definitely a problem on college campuses, like everywhere, because people joke about it,” Valentine said.

Sophomore Jasmine Gorney talked about the importance of events like this.

“It’s nice to hear other people’s experience and also just talk about it with people you know,” Gorney said. She said the space helped her to discuss different topics and experiences that she

discussion to have. “I don’t know that just because the topic is uncomfortable, that it’s something that we should avoid,” Christman said.

Christman and Foster said they wanted to work to broaden the understanding of the emotional

destruction that discrimination causes to build understanding and acceptance.

Gorney and Kareem-Ojo said events like these lost out on their potential by not being properly broadcasted or supported.

“I feel like there’s a lot of disconnect between people who aren’t willing to really learn about [Black people],” KareemOjo said.

However, students voiced that creating a safe space for conversation about these heavy topics can be a good starting point. Kareem-Ojo and Gorney both said that events like this one show the school’s willingness to build understanding against discrimination.

“I don’t know that just because the topic is uncomfortable, that it’s something that we should avoid.”

April Christman

Counseling services will hold several other recognition events. In light of Women’s History Month, the next one will be “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” on March 8. This event will help to raise awareness of the discrimination women face, as well as provide an opportunity to donate high-heels.

McKenna Howenstine| Marlin Chronicle Sophomore Opeyemi KareemOjo attended the event.

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle Students immersed themselves in painting during the event.

Dominion Energy advances local wind turbine project

BY AIDEN CROGHAN accroghan@vwu.edu

By 2026, Virginia Beach will have a brand new energy source: the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project (CVOW), which will provide 2.6 gigawatts of energy to over 660,000 Virginia homes, according to Dominion Energy.

The CVOW is a project from Dominion Energy. They will conduct the placement and operation of the 176 wind turbines, 27 miles from the coast of Virginia Beach. This project could mark massive changes to Virginia Beach’s economy, according to Joel Rubin, President of The Rubin Communications Group and author of “Windsdays.”

“Windsdays” is a project promoting the CVOW to the citizens of Hampton Roads through a newsletter every Wednesday. This newsletter highlights supporters of the CVOW in Hampton Roads, from local businesses to individuals including political officials.

According to Rubin, the project will begin construction this May. The Dominion Energy website states that the project’s construction will create 900 Virginian jobs, with 60% of these in Hampton Roads.

On the positive impacts of the project, Rubin described

that it provided an interesting new work opportunity for young people in the area that emphasizes the importance and usability of trade skills. “We’ve been pushing everybody, not that there’s anything wrong with it, to go to a four-year college, and we kind of forgot that there’s a lot of skills out there that you can learn without having to get a four-year bachelor’s degree,” Rubin said.

VWU Alumna Lauren Faulkner, who volunteered for Windsdays, agreed that the project will help bring in jobs. “I really think the biggest benefit for the project has to be the jobs that it’s going to bring to the Hampton Roads area,” Faulkner said.

However, Faulkner expressed concern that the jobs might not be filled. “It’s a weird time where it’s not necessarily an employer’s market; it’s more of an employee’s market,” Faulkner said. She elaborated, saying she believes the 2026 deadline may be difficult to hit if the workforce is not fully filled.

The Dominion Energy website shows that they have contracted out some of this labor to Siemens Gamesa, Seajacks, DEME Offshore, the Prysmian Group and Skanska. These organizations will assist with the creation of materials necessary for the wind turbines, as well as the construction and installation of the turbines.

Even with the help, Rubin expressed concerns of the timeline as well. “It’s not that far away frankly,” Rubin said, addressing the 2026 deadline. “They can’t even really do a lot of the work out there all year long, one because of weather, two because of migration of whales.”

Rubin said that this meant construction could only take place from May to November each year, and that the operation is very technical and precise in order to stay on track. Professor of Earth Science, Dr. Christopher Haley, and Professor of Biology and Environmental Science, Dr. Maynard Schaus, both expressed interest in the project, and hoped that connections could be made with VWU in order to provide students with opportunities such as internships within the project.

While Schaus said that Virginia Wesleyan has not had the type of involvement in this particular project that they have had in previous local projects, he expressed optimism about its implementation. “It’s great to see that Dominion is pursuing alternative forms of energy for our area,” Schaus said.

Schaus said that he has explored the implications of offshore wind turbines in the classroom, specifically in his course, “Environmental Problems and Solutions.”

Haley expressed that he believes concerns, such as effects on wildlife, will not be a large issue with this project due to the modern construction of the project, and that projects like this are necessary to move towards a greener future. He specifically mentioned that as a shift to electric vehicles places a higher stress on the electric grid, the energy used to power the grid must come from renewable sources in order to maintain the original green intentions.

“Every form of energy has drawbacks to it,” Schaus said, so it is necessary to assess the impact of different options on climate change and make decisions to limit negative effects.

Campus offices respond to FAFSA delays

BY ISAAC FICK ihfick@vwu.edu

Repeated delays this year of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are preventing colleges and universities from receiving the FAFSA information and, therefore, rendering the institutions unable to determine financial aid eligibility for students.

A National Public Radio (NPR) article states, “the department says it won’t be sending students’ FAFSA data to schools until the first half of March. Previously, it had said it would start sending that data in late January.”

The article points out, “for many of those students, that leaves less than a month before they’re expected to commit to a college.”

These delays are due to the implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020 and

the inflation-based miscalculation of it from the Department of Education (DOE). If the DOE did not take the extra time to make these corrections, the error would have withheld an additional $1.8 billion in federal student aid from students.

“The FAFSA Simplification Act has been anything but simple so far,” President Scott D. Miller said when addressing FAFSA delays through an Instagram Reel.

“Virginia Wesleyan is doing everything in its power to produce realistic financial aid packages for our prospective students based on what we do know,” Miller said.

Miller advised prospective students to, “stay in touch with us, and don’t give up.”

Beth Koroleski, director of Financial Aid, provided her insight on the delays and their effect on financial aid for students.

During the wait, Koroleski

said the office will be sending out emails to “let [prospective students] know about institutional scholarships and grants that they’re eligible for before we’re able to send their full award letter with all of their eligibility to give them a heads-up so they know what’s available so far.”

“I imagine they will start giving that information to schools in the middle of March,” Koroleski said. “And then there’ll be a period of time where we’ll have to do some testing to make sure that our systems are able to pull in the information.”

Koroleski also assured that current students do not need to stress about the situation.

“Current students can expect their awards to look pretty much the same as last year so you kind of know what your situation is and if nothing has changed, you can expect it to be pretty much the same,” Koroleski said.

The issue mostly concerns incoming students who are looking to compare multiple financial aid packages. “I think that for them is the biggest stressor because they need to make the best decisions for themselves, and we want to give them that information, but we can’t,” Koroleski said.

Koroleski said that students can expect financial aid award letters by April.

Along with Financial Aid, Enrollment is also affected by FAFSA delays. Nikki Nieves, director of Enrollment for the Batten Honors College, shared her perspective.

“VWU has also joined several other institutions in moving the deposit deadline from the traditional May 1 date to June 1,” Nieves said.

Nieves acknowledged the difficulties this can pose for families. “It’s challenging to ask a family to make a commitment to a college when they don’t know the financial commitment required,” Nieves said.

When describing specific

challenges with FAFSA, Koroleski mentioned that “things have changed on the FAFSA. There’s a new methodology that decides who’s eligible for what, but those changes were made to increase eligibility for things like the Pell Grant.”

Koroleski explained that the

“It’s challenging to ask a family to make a commitment to a college when they don’t know the financial commitment required.”

Nikki Nieves

FAFSA delays aren’t all bad news. “It should be to the benefit of our students that they may see more aid on their award letters in terms of Pell,” she said.

Additionally, Koroleski said that the delays have also given the office more adjustment time. “It’s given us more time to learn the new FAFSA, how the new aid eligibility is being calculated. And then once it becomes available, we’ll be able to go ahead and start reviewing and processing information to get it out to students.”

Nieves illustrated another benefit of the delays regarding time for relationship-building with families of prospective Marlins. “We believe they are getting a sense of our genuine nature and desire for them to join the Marlin community,” Nieves said.

Enrollment Counselor Hailey Schumacher brought up the collaboration that the FAFSA delays have prompted among campus offices. “It also allowed us to have more connection between offices and have conversations between enrollment and financial aid and finance and all the different offices on campus that help get students here for their first year or if they’re transferring for their first time here at Virginia

Wesleyan,” Schumacher said. “We’ve seen a lot of students appreciating the effort that we’re putting in and the communications that we’re having,” Schumacher said.

As a result of these concerns, Koroleski advised students to communicate with the school. “We are here to help,” Koreleski said. “If… you’re really worried about next year and what it’s going to look like, call us, email us. There’s lots we can do.”

Nieves encouraged prospective students to see the campus for themselves and allow that to drive their decision.

“Many that visit our campus, whether in-person or virtually, absolutely fall in love with the atmosphere and community, and just have this one final piece to fully commit and submit a deposit,” Nieves said.

“Our enrollment counselors have been working feverishly to maintain contact with prospective students to answer any questions they may have, while also staying present and visible as time approaches for them to make their commitment decisions for our incoming fall class,” Nieves said.

Additionally, Schumacher advised that students should still fill out the FAFSA as soon as they’re able. “That way, once it is processed, if there’s any errors, we can get those resolved sooner than later,” Schumacher said.

National College Attainment Network (NCAN) reported that, compared to 2023, there has been a drop in the number of students submitting the FAFSA this year.

To combat this decrease in students filling out the FAFSA, Koroleski said, “don’t lose faith that the information is on the way, and I hope that that doesn’t deter anyone from moving forward with what they had planned.”

On Jan. 5, there was a reported 1.2 million decrease in students submitting the FAFSA. On Feb. 16, this difference lowered by 714,000.

Joel Rubin|Courtesy

Computer-generated image of the vessel expected to transport materials for construction at offshore site.

Joel Rubin|Courtesy Map depicts Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project.

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The

Marlins welcome new Global Engagement director

Brooke Novkovic plans to grow the study abroad program and “take a little fear out of the process.”

BY VICTORIA HANELINE vfhaneline1@vwu.edu

Brooke Novkovic succeeded Mandy Reinig as the director of Global Engagement at the beginning of the spring semester. Novkovic is returning to campus, as she previously held a position in Enrollment before taking a break to work elsewhere.

In her new position, Novkovic is excited to encourage students to study abroad.

“I don’t think there’s anything quite like experiencing someone else’s culture,” Novkovic said. “I think it’s really important for students to take the opportunity to do that.”

Novkovic described studying abroad as exciting, if terrifying, but important.

“It’s really important to understand how the rest of the world works,” Novkovic said.

When asked what she was looking forward to in her new role, Novkovic said, “It’s finding out how this experience changed someone’s life.”

She returned to take this position after a stint at a patient advocacy group. Unfortunately, she described difficulties with the position and they parted ways.

“I don’t have a single regret about trying it out,” Novkovic said. When the position of director of Global Engagement came up, Novkovic said she “kind of jumped at it.”

“I was so happy there was even a chance to come back,” Novkovic said.

Students who knew Novkovic in her previous position as director of Enrollment for the Batten Honors College were happy to welcome her back on campus.

Tyler Noll, a sophomore studying Environmental Studies in the Batten Honors College, was glad for Novkovic’s return. “She kind of welcomed us all to the community,” Noll said, referring to her role in Enrollment.

Noll studied abroad during the fall semester in Morocco. He described the transition back to campus as “pretty easy, thanks to Brooke.”

“She’s perfect for the position she’s in now. I

couldn’t have been luckier,” Noll said.

Kaza Dayton, a junior and Hispanic Studies major, studied at Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain during the Fall 2023 semester and plans to study abroad again in Puerto Rico.

“Just from the start, I can tell how compassionate Brooke is, and I feel how well suited she is for the job,” Dayton said. “She really has that passion.”

Dayton said that on her study abroad trip, she felt there were issues that the previous director, Mandy Reinig, didn’t adequately prepare her for. One of those was the language, which was a regional language in Spain that she couldn’t speak.

Dayton said she felt she and her companion didn’t receive enough support in another country where they didn’t speak the language. “It was really hard to have to figure everything out,” Dayton said.

Novkovic said that one of her goals was to “take a little fear out of the process of studying abroad,” both for students from VWU studying abroad and students studying abroad at VWU. When asked to describe the program in five years, she used one word: “growth.”

Novkovic is focusing on “having it be something that students look forward to while they’re at VWU,” she said.

Novkovic said she wished more students would talk about their time abroad.

“I don’t know that I’ve met anybody that went on their study abroad that didn’t have some really remarkable things to say about it,” Novkovic said.

Dayton’s experience is one such example.

“It was just this incredible experience that completely shaped how I view the world,” Dayton said. “Being forced into real adulthood was probably the scariest thing and the most incredible thing.”

For Dayton, the connections made with others was a highlight of her time abroad.

“The best part is getting to know so many

people from all over the world,” Dayton said. “I had friends from all over the continent.”

Noll expressed that the education he received from being abroad was impactful, particularly in terms of language.

“This country [Morocco] speaks a bunch of different languages from Arabic to French, none of which I spoke,” Noll said. “So I had to learn.” He took a class in Arabic and said it was fun, and picked up some basic French vocabulary.

Noll plans to travel abroad three more times in his time here, taking advantage of the Batten Honors College subsidizing some of the study abroad costs.

“Mandy got me where I needed to be and everything, but I’m really excited to be working with Brooke in the future,” Noll said. He described some transcript issues he said were neglected, but that Novkovic “swiftly resolved them.”

For Noll, Novkovic’s commitment is apparent.

“Brooke has a built-in feature where she goes the extra mile,” Noll said.

Novkovic herself is well-traveled, and her advice to prospective travelers is to get out of their “bubbles.”

Novkovic gets out of her “bubble” by trying new foods.

“I love food,” Novkovic said. “I will try anything once.”

“I want them to have that most incredible time here,” Novkovic said. “They bring so much here.”

While students are excited to have Novkovic in the office, she is similarly excited to make it her own.

“I’m excited to really put my stamp on this,” Novkovic said.

Hot Girl Walks honor Women’s History Month

BY CAREY SEAY clseay@vwu.edu

Going for a stroll through the Trails at Wesleyan Woods or around Rogers Track is not unmarked territory for most Marlins, but labeling these daily outings as “Hot Girl Walks” may be. This somewhat new terminology was directly introduced to Marlin Nation on Friday, March 1 with the start of Off the Hook’s new Hot Girl Walk series.

The Hot Girl Walk was coined by TikToker Mia Lind in 2020 during the height of COVID-19. According to the Hot Girl Walk website, Lind was inspired by the four-mile outdoor walks she took daily during this time. On these walks, she concentrated on three things: “Gratitude, Goals, and Confidence.”

Now reaching millions of people, according to the website, the Hot Girl Walk encourages individuals to focus on three things while taking a four-mile walk: “1) What you’re grateful for 2) Your goals and how you’re going to achieve them 3) How HOT you are!”

“I think this is one of the most positive fitness trends that has come out of social media,” senior Psychology major Maddy Gonsalves said. “It’s promoting the idea of exercising to boost selfesteem and wellness, rather than changing the way you look.”

Coupled with exercise in the form of walking, values such as gratitude and goal-setting have major benefits on the mental and physical wellbeing of participants.

“It’s not going to be an instant cure-all to any mental health issue you have, but it can just help you to be more aware of what you do have and help with things like mindfulness,” Professor and Chair of Psychology Taryn Myers said.

The community support formed by trends

like the Hot Girl Walk also has proven benefits on the well-being of participants.

“I’m on Instagram Reels, and one of the things I’ve been seeing lately is there’s a study that came out that showed that when women in particular gather, not only does it help with their mental health quite a bit, but the more frequently they gather and the better quality of that gathering, they actually live longer,” Myers said. “It can help with stress, which we know is related not only to mental health, but physical health like cardiovascular things.”

Off the Hook’s new series hopes to encompass each of these values and provide a supportive community to encourage participants to reach their goals.

“It’s kind of like, feel good about yourself, get out, get moving, connect with others,” director of Student Engagement Jen Cohen said. “It’s also an engagement opportunity.”

The Hot Girl Walk series will run throughout the month of March, with events taking place on every Friday. The series is meant to be an empowerment movement to honor women during Women’s History Month. Despite its name and purpose, however, everyone is welcome.

“We’re just kind of capitalizing on the name,” Cohen said. “We want to make it clear that even though it has this title, it’s really open to everyone. Whether you come for the actual walk itself, come for the activity or vice versa, it’s kind of allencompassing.”

Following a weatherpermitting outdoor walk around campus, an activity will be held as well. On March 1, the first of these

took place in the Jane P. Batten Student Center near the Harbor Grill. The activity included a scrapbooking and vision board making workshop, encompassing one of the main purposes of the original Hot Girl Walk: goalsetting.

“It’s really going to be everyone’s individual journey. We’re really trying to provide a variety of different engagement opportunities,” Cohen said. “Not everything is going to pique everyone’s interest, but it also gives you a chance to find people with some common interests. It’s just meant to be fun and engaging, and it lets you get out and move a little bit.”

If you missed the first walk and activity on March 1, there are three more opportunities to become engaged with the series. These will take place on March 5, with a Fin Zone walk to support Women’s Lacrosse, March 13, with a sunset walk and sandpit volleyball game and March 28, with a walk and Women’s History Month trivia event to end the series.

Brooke Novkovic|Courtesy

LEFT: Brooke Novkovic traveling in Windsor, England. RIGHT: Lyngdal, Norway.

Brooke Novkovic|Courtesy Brooke Novkovic traveling in Stolac, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Internship opportunities provide unique experiences, development

BY KYLON LEWIS khlewis@vwu.edu

Through connections and the Lighthouse, students are provided with a plethora of internship opportunities to enhance their academic experience and prepare for their future careers. Whether pursuing a degree in business, the humanities, the sciences or any other field, internships provide valuable hands-on experience, networking opportunities and professional growth.

Director of Career Development Alice Jones spoke on the necessity of internships for students. “School is why you’re here, but, on the other side, what’s your goal when you finish your education?” Alice Jones said. “Even if you’re going to continue your education, maybe you’re going to go get your Master’s or your PhD, that work experience or that internship or that research experience is still important because that’s going to help you stand out from all the other hundreds of people or thousands of people depending on your field that you’re competing against.”

Virginia Wesleyan focuses on experience and educational and professional development, ensuring that its graduates are versatile individuals equipped to overcome any challenges they encounter.

Alice Jones stressed that experience

bolsters students’ resumes. “Doing those things that you can do to add to your portfolio is important. It’s just as important as the academic piece,” she said.

The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration and Discovery is a resource specifically designed to provide students with experiences to enhance their college career and prepare them for success after college.

The Lighthouse’s Career Development Program (CDP) offers students an array of resources and opportunities, such as internships, in order to help them create a professional route for the future. Alice Jones encourages students to begin utilizing these resources as early as possible during their college careers.

“People think that they have to wait until they’re getting ready to graduate to start doing these things, but you don’t, and you shouldn’t,” Alice Jones said. “Everyone should start as soon as you get here, and if you see an event, or you see an employer is going to be on campus, stop and talk to them.”

VWU collaborates closely with local businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and community organizations such as Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation, Dollar Tree and IKEA Home Furnishing to offer a diverse range of

internship placements for students. Through partnerships with well-known companies and institutions, students gain access to real-world projects, mentorship from industry experts and exposure to various career pathways.

Internships can be pursued during the academic year or over the summer, providing flexibility for students to balance their coursework and experiential learning. Micro-internships, which generally consist of the completion of one project with a company, are also great opportunities for students who may be overwhelmed with schoolwork and extracurriculars. Additionally, the CDP provides personalized guidance and workshops to assist students in securing internships that align with their interests and career aspirations.

Senior Bryce Jones found his niche thanks to the VWU internship placement program. Bryce Jones has been working at IKEA as a business analytics intern, where he helps analyze IKEA’s sales data and inventory numbers while working with management and the marketing team.

Bryce Jones was originally notified about this opportunity when working with Professor of Management, Business and Economics Frank Futyma and the Marlin Business Conference. The Marlin Business Conference is an event held every semester that gives students and Hampton Road residents an opportunity to listen to key speakers from locally owned businesses, network with fellow business minds and engage with business leaders of the future and present.

“Wesleyan helped me get this internship by aligning myself with the right people and having professors help me prepare for interviews, important dates, etc.,” Bryce Jones said. “My internship does offer full-time positions, which I am looking to pursue post graduation, but having classes that allowed me to participate in the Business Conference and learn the true ropes of performing business acts are ways that Wesleyan has showed me what it’s like to prepare and present your idea or yourself in a formal and business professional setting which is good experience for everyone.”

Internships offer more than just practical skills; they also provide valuable life lessons. From navigating workplace dynamics to mastering time management, students develop resilience and character

through their internship experiences.

“It helps you apply your theoretical knowledge to the real world. So what you’re learning in class, how does that apply?” Alice Jones said. “It helps you expand your transferable skills, so communication skills, teamwork skills, ability to use technology, all those things. And sometimes you’ll learn new things while you’re doing that.”

Along with the many direct benefits of completing an internship, there are numerous advantages that can be applied to life after college as well.

“I think it helps people develop professional connections, because you’re working with people who are in the field that you might want to go into,” Alice Jones said. “It gives you something to boost your resume, so that you can more effectively market yourself because now you stand a little bit above all those other grads that didn’t have that experience. I think it helps you test out career options, but also, it helps you refine your goals.”

Senior Michael Burton had the opportunity to intern at Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale, California this past summer. Lockheed Martin is a company that makes advanced technology for military and aerospace purposes, like fighter jets, missiles, satellites and cybersecurity systems. As an intern, Burton was tasked with leading meetings, ensuring that multiple teams are on track with their due dates and making schedules for future projects.

“During my time at Lockheed, I learned about key aspects of project management, data management and scheduling,” Burton said. “The work I did was valuable to future employment as project management skills are used in every workplace. Being able to communicate with multiple teams, organize and adjust to their work are skills that apply to being a good team member and employee in the workforce. These skills can be put in place in any career path.”

The combination of rigorous academics, diverse internship opportunities and personalized support at VWU prepares students to thrive in their chosen fields and make significant contributions to society. Through exploration, growth and practical learning experiences, students embark on a journey of self-discovery and professional advancement, setting the stage for a fulfilling and successful career journey.

Sodexo plans for future of dining

BY DANIELA ANGELES GALVAN dangelesgalvan@vwu.edu

At Virginia Wesleyan University, the dining hall is more than just a place to grab a meal—it’s a hub of culinary innovation and community engagement. In the realm of campus dining, Tim Lockett stands as a guiding force for Virginia Wesleyan University. As the General Manager for Sodexo, Lockett oversees a multifaceted operation encompassing the dining hall, food court, convenience store and catering services.

Delving into the intricacies of menu planning, Lockett elucidated the meticulous production system employed by the cafeteria. “We have what we call a production system... It’s the menus, it’s what we prepare every day, we look at it about two weeks out, we print it all up,” Lockett said.

Lockett emphasized the importance of catering to diverse tastes and nutritional needs. “There’s a bland diversity in there, everything from the healthier choices to the popular choices, and those two things aren’t the same,” Lockett said.

Lockett introduced the “mindful program,” designed to offer students interesting and healthy food options. Additionally, he highlighted their advanced menu system, which provides detailed nutrition information for each meal, including whether it’s vegan or vegetarian and if it falls under the mindful program.

Addressing concerns regarding dietary restrictions and preferences, Lockett emphasized the dining hall’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. “We have specific training for the chefs that work at the station. We have a separate prep area and ovens to cook all that food in,” Lockett said.

In addition to Lockett’s insights, senior Sarah Blackburn, who plays a vital role on the catering side and in the Culinary Council, shed light on several initiatives aimed at enhancing the dining experience for students.

Blackburn mentioned efforts to accommodate dietary restrictions. “We’re trying to push for gluten-free bread at the grill and introduce cauliflower crust pizza for students with gluten sensitivities,” Blackburn said.

Blackburn also discussed plans to provide more options for students with busy schedules. “We’re working on introducing pre-ordering options for meals to provide convenience and flexibility, allowing students to plan their dining ahead of time,” Blackburn said.

Similarly, senior Zion Purvis-Allen, a student worker for Sodexo, the company running the campus dining, provided valuable insights into the strengths and challenges

of the dining facilities and suggested opportunities for improvement. From his perspective, the dining hall’s meal plan and Harbor Grill offerings boast several strengths, including affordability and a strong sense of community.

Purvis-Allen highlighted the economic value of the meal plans and the opportunity for students to connect and socialize over meals, contributing to a positive overall experience. Purvis-Allen appreciates recent measures to enhance the dining experience, such as the introduction of a new coffee machine, which has been well-received by students.

“The new coffee machine was a great measure to boost that satisfaction,” Purvis-Allen said. “A day does not go by that I see at least five or more students with that iconic brown cup.”

He also highlighted the role of non-student workers in creating a welcoming atmosphere through friendly interactions and service with a smile.

However, Purvis-Allen acknowledged common challenges faced by students, such as running out of Flex Dollars too early in the semester. To address this issue,

he proposed separate allocations of Flex Dollars for the Harbor Grill and Coastal Market, providing students with more flexibility in their dining choices and balancing distribution.

“Students sometimes complain about running out of Flex Dollars too early, and I would propose having separate money for the grill and for the Coastal Market,” Purvis-Allen said. “The Coastal Market is a great hub, but the grill is also great as well. For a student like myself, it’s hard to pick between great snacks or great food, so I would give $100 Flex for the grill and $100 Flex for the Coastal Market to even out the distribution.”

Senior Nagisa Takayanagi suggested extending cafeteria operating hours, particularly for dinner service, to accommodate students’ varying schedules. Additionally, Takayanagi advocated for greater flexibility in meal plan usage to allow students to make better use of their allocated swipes and address concerns about affordability and convenience.

However, Takayanagi expressed satisfaction with the variety of food options available in the dining hall. “I think the variety of food is very nice because you get the salads, meats and Worldly Wednesdays,” Takayanagi said.

Takayanagi raised concerns about the sodium content in some meals. “I feel like they tend to put a lot of sodium, so that’s why I have to be careful, but I am very satisfied with the variety of food that they have at the cafeteria,” Takayanagi said.

In addition to the overview of the cafeteria from a different perspective, Lockett emphasized a culture of accessibility and openness within the cafeteria. “We have an open door, we’re here, this is all we do,” Lockett said. “If you have an issue, we’re available. Come and see us.”

His vision for the cafeteria extends beyond mere sustenance, encompassing a holistic commitment to student well-being and community enrichment. This philosophy underscores the cafeteria’s role not only as a dining facility, but also as a central hub for fostering student engagement and satisfaction.

Overall, dining services strive for excellence and inclusivity through collaboration and dialogue. By maintaining an open-door policy and encouraging feedback from students, faculty and staff, the cafeteria endeavors to meet the diverse needs and preferences of its body.

Through ongoing efforts to enhance menu options, accommodate dietary restrictions and improve service, the cafeteria remains dedicated to culinary excellence and satisfaction for all members of the Marlin community.

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle

Students utilize Sodexo’s new Friday coffee bar.

Emily Moody|Marlin Chronicle

Senior Emily Moody poses with a granola bar on a Virginia beach for her internship, where she makes promotional material for All Good Granola.

Thifting supports college lifestyle

BY LUKE ARTERS learters@vwu.edu

I love and adore thrifting, and I think it’s one of the best pastimes a college student can have.

I’ve been thrifting for as long as I can remember. I have vivid memories from elementary school of going on “mom dates” to local thrift stores. Mom and I would hit whatever store was the closest or the cheapest. I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed scouring through every section, every rack, every shelf, always trying to find something I’d like to take home.

Of course, the main thing the majority of people, including myself, commonly go thrifting for is clothes. Over the years, I’ve found many clothes that would become staples of my closet.

If I ever needed a specific item, such as my freshman year homecoming garb, I could go thrifting with that in mind and usually end up with something decent after a couple of runs.

In the specific case of my outfit for freshman homecoming, I scored my dress shoes, pants, shirt, vest and bow tie, all from local thrift stores.

In recent years, as I have developed my sense of style and taken a specific interest in how I dress, thrift stores have been the backbone of my wardrobe.

Thrifted clothes make up the majority of what I wear. The only clothes I wear with regularity that aren’t thrifted are a few pairs of shoes.

When I got my license and a job, I would go to a thrift store in my area after almost every shift. I would rotate which store I’d go to, so I never saw the same options. Throughout this time, clothes

were the main thing I was looking for.

I wanted pieces like what I saw on the internet, but more than that, I wanted pieces that matched how I wanted to present myself. In just the past year, I’ve expanded my wardrobe considerably, and I get compliments on my outfits regularly, but more importantly, on the singular pieces I have thrifted recently.

One of my favorite feelings is when a friend tells me they like something I’m wearing, and I get to say to them, “Dude! I thrifted it! It was only a couple of bucks!” I love my clothes, but more importantly, I love that I rarely feel scared of ruining them because, in the end, it would only be a couple of dollars lost.

Many commonly gloss over what thrifting offers aside from clothes.

Especially for our demographic as college students, thrifting can make our lives so much easier.

I found a foldable chair at the DAV Thrift Store on Virginia Beach Boulevard. for only around $14. I found the chair after complaining to my friends about how my dorm felt barren and uninviting.

Thrifting plates, bowls, cups, crockery, glassware, utensils, pots, pans, appliances and other household items is also a highly beneficial use of thrifting that is vastly underutilized.

Concerning college dorm necessities, thrifting is virtually unmatched in terms of prices and longevity.

Sure, you can find fifty-cent plastic plates and bowls at Target, and honestly, if that’s all you’re looking for, it’s a great option. That said, thrift stores are your best bet if you want low prices and household items that can and will last you throughout college.

Thrifting is one of my favorite pastimes and one of the best we, as college students, can pick up. It’s affordable, available and beneficial to the environment because you’re taking potential trash out of circulation.

Thrifting is essential, and I think everyone who can should take advantage of it!

Luke Arters is a first-year majoring in Computer Science. He enjoys playing the drums and the piano and discovering new music. He has been an avid thrifter his whole life and is happy to share the best thrift stores in Virginia Beach. Luke can be reached at learters@vwu.edu.

Hobbies bought, sold on Facebook

BY MADISON MELLON memellon@vwu.edu

Facebook Marketplace is a great app for buying used and new products. Unlike other ways of online shopping, Facebook Marketplace provides the opportunity for normal people to sell almost anything.

There is no struggle of buying overpriced items with no negotiation. One of the best attributes of this app is that it allows you to contact the seller and ask questions, negotiate prices and even look at the item before purchasing. No matter what anyone is looking for, it is very easy to find even the strangest items.

Facebook Marketplace is especially helpful for college students because of the simple idea of price negotiation. Instead of going to IKEA or a furniture store, a student can go to Facebook Marketplace, find an item of furniture that fits the idea, and buy it for less than half of the price of any other furniture store. I have multiple friends who have bought furnishings for their houses because of the cheapness and flexibility of Facebook Marketplace.

Another bonus of Facebook Marketplace is that buyers can view seller ratings and reviews based on previous buyers, which helps them gauge the reliability and trustworthiness of sellers before making a purchase. Facebook Marketplace has no transaction or commission fees, lessening the price compared to other online sites.

“Facebook Marketplace gave me the opportunity to meet the buyer, have no fees, no shipping or far driving and not get scammed by a dealership .”

Madison Mellon

Some concerns that may arise in people’s minds include the condition of items and meeting with strangers in order to retrieve items. However, many sellers are open to allowing a potential buyer to come look at the item in person before purchasing, as long as the buyer seems genuinely interested. Furthermore, it can be a scary thought to go to a random house to meet a seller, but if you use the buddy system and look into the seller’s profile, it will typically be apparent if it is a bad idea to go.

I turn to this app specifically because it has been the best deal finder out of any other options I have tried. It is also linked with Facebook Groups, where many niche groups focus on buying, selling and trading certain types of items. For example, I am in quite a few local surf groups on Facebook and have seen many rare surfboards to buy within the local community.

I have searched Facebook Marketplace for a variety of items such as coral, fish tanks, cars, surfboards and many other

|Courtesy Headshot of first-year Madison Mellon.

miscellaneous things. My most recent purchase was a ping pong set. I had found a new interest in playing ping pong for fun and decided I should buy a set for my house and friends. I was thinking of going to a normal store to buy the set but decided to look on Facebook Marketplace just in case they had anything.

Then, I found a brand-new set being sold for $15 compared to the average $25. I contacted the seller and expressed my interest in the set.

Next, we set up a time to meet at their home and see the quality of the set to make sure I wasn’t getting scammed. I brought a friend with me just in case the situation was sketchy, however the seller was a very nice older woman, and I ran into no problems.

Most recently, I have been looking for fish tanks and other things to go with it, however it can lead into a long time of scrolling because of the thousands of interesting listings.

Aside from buying items, selling things on Facebook Marketplace can also be a very helpful and efficient way to make extra money. Facebook Marketplace offers a large user base, local reach (no cost to ship items), an easy-to-use platform, easy communication and best of all is free use.

I used Facebook Marketplace to sell my first car, which was very helpful. I had put a lot of work into the car and wanted to get what it was worth, which I knew a dealership would not give me.

I also wanted to make sure that the car went to a person who would care and appreciate it as much as I previously did. Facebook Marketplace gave me the opportunity to meet the buyer, have no fees, no shipping or far driving and not get scammed by a dealership.

In the end, Facebook Marketplace is a very useful option that gets overlooked very often. Whether you are looking for a car or for a ping pong set, Facebook Marketplace could save you time and money.

Madison Mellon is a first-year majoring in Earth and Environmental Sciences with a minor in Marine Science. She loves to surf and go to the beach. Her favorite things to look for on Facebook Marketplace are cars and surfboards. She can be contacted at memellon@vwu.edu.

Students earn money beneath the needle

BY MADELYN YALE mgyale@vwu.edu

College students are notorious for two things: being slammed with loads of homework and not having enough money for luxury spending.

While enrolled in a minimum of 12 course credits, students also have campus involvements to fulfill and homework to be done, which leaves little room for flexibility in scheduled shifts to work and earn money.

However, clever collegiate students are discovering plasma donation to be one of the newest yet effective ways to earn a fast and easy paycheck in their busy schedules.

I believe that donating plasma is not only a spectacular option for a monetary income, but also a medical advantage to the community.

Plasma donations are set up based on the participants’ schedule, which accommodates students’ busy lives.

A majority of the appointments usually last between an hour to an hour and a half long, while leaving plenty of time left in the day to catch up on various upcoming assignments.

Plasma donations are collected by taking blood through an IV and separating the plasma, which is a liquid portion of the blood that helps us fight infections and carry nutrients throughout the body. One common concern that may arise for some is whether it is ethical to get payment for selling a part of their body.

However, the plasma that is extracted

is then used in medical treatments and for creating new medicines for lifethreatening diseases, thus creating opportunities for students to also play a big role in the community by helping with their donations while being compensated for their time.

When simplifying the means of this activity, it involves the student to only have to attend two donation sessions a week and earn up to $500 each month following the donations. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t make sense to not take part in this revolutionary alternative for gaining money.

On the other hand, there are speculations on how destructive this process can be to the young adult body. In such a chaotic part of a student’s life, it is important to upkeep our health to ensure optimal performance in all aspects of our day-to-day lives.

With the rigorous measurements taken before the donation, it is important for the company to ensure you are capable of completing the appointment before it is taken. This step is taken before each and every appointment to ensure participants safety.

In addition, every appointment also requires that each patient be questioned as to whether they have properly taken care of themselves prior to the scheduled time. This may include proper meals, hydration, vitamin intake and well-rested nights.

The repetition of the same intake measurements and questions can be seen as an advantage to college students by calling attention to their health they might not normally think of.

It is common for busy students to neglect punctual sleep and meal time during their busy day. By keeping up with their regular appointments they are reminded to take care of their health as well as their grades. Through adequate research and personalized health decisions, plasma donations could be the token for luxuryspending money that college students have been looking for.

Madelyn Yale is a senior majoring in Biology. She enjoys going to the beach and spending her free time with friends. Madelyn can be reached at mgyale@vwu. edu.

Madelyn Yale|Marlin Chronicle

Headshot of senior Madelyn Yale.

Luke Arters|Courtesy Arters visits The Salvation Army Thrift Store to find new additons to his wardrobe.

McKenna Howenstine|Marlin Chronicle

Headshot of first-year Luke Arters.

Madison Mellon

Esports continues growth in competition

BY COY CAMISCIOLI clcamiscioli@vwu.edu

Since its addition to the Athletics program, the Esports team has continued to grow through the years and is becoming increasingly popular amongst incoming college students.

This trend is seen nationally, not just at VWU. According to The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), there are currently 170 member schools that consist of over 5,000 athletes participating in esports. These numbers are projected to rise within the next few years.

The process of playing esports in college is just like every other sport, in which students can get recruited to most schools and receive scholarships.

There is a lot of money to be made from esports, as $15,000,000 is offered to the esports elite per year from colleges, according to WIRED.

Head Esports Coach Glenn Johnson discussed what the process is like and how he recruits.

“We find out the interest of students when they apply and make contact with them throughout their onboarding on campus,” Johnson said.

For students who are interested in trying out for the Esports team, it is not too late.

“We advertise to the student body for open try-outs that occur at the beginning of each fall,” Johnson said.

The esports season is long, and preparing for each match is not a walk in the park. It involves extensive practice and research

Basketball falls short in NCAA tournament

BY COLETTE KEARNEY cmkearney@vwu.edu

For the first time since the 2014-2015 season, the Marlins Men’s Basketball team earned its way to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament.

After a successful regular season, the Marlins made it to the semi-finals of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament as the sixth seed. They won their quarterfinal game of the tournament, beating the number five nationally ranked Guilford College 67-60. The team lost the semifinal game to the Tigers of Hampden-Sydney College, who are ranked number one nationally, 63-52. Leading that game was first-year Paul Anderson with 10 points and Seargeant with 9 points.

After a season spent mostly ranked in the top 25 nationally, on Monday, Feb. 26, the team found out they would be playing Swarthmore College in Hartford, Connecticut for the first round of the NCAA Tournament. After not scoring until seven minutes into the first half, the Marlins were down 37-19 at halftime. The Marlins crawled back in the second half to outscore the Phoenixes 40-30, but ultimately their comeback came up short as they lost 67-59. With that, their season comes to an end.

Junior Waylo Wilson who scored 14 points for the Marlins against Swarthmore is proud of how the team overcame adversity earlier in the season. “The experience of having the chance to play in our first ever NCAA tournament was beyond exciting. Having an opportunity to be in a position that our program hasn’t been in for about eight years was something that meant a lot to all of us,” Wilson said.

The Marlins finished their season 19-9, 9-7 in conference play and were one of four ODAC teams to make the NCAA tournament.

into other teams.

“Sometimes we look to see if they have gameplay streams or content that we can review to understand their gameplay. Other times we focus on our own practice and come up with an array of strategies based on what we know,” Johnson said. Johnson stressed the fact that preparation for each match is similar to other sports.

“We focus on getting players to remove as much pressure as we can. Our prep is very similar to most traditional sports in those ways,” Johnson said.

Johnson hopes the program continues to grow and become more successful and that the campus community will give support when the team hosts events.

Throughout the season, the team competes in brackets leading to playoffs. The games include individual matches as well as tournaments.

Senior Stephon Babb is a part of the Rocket League, League of Legends and Fortnite teams. He described what the playoffs are like.

“It is a point-based system and each win is two points. So, the more points you have, the higher you get placed in a bracket that is similar to playoffs in other sports,” Babb said.

Babb has been a part of the Esports team since his sophomore year.

“I did not know we had a team. One of my friends told me about it, and they offered many of the games I played, so I decided to join,” Babb said.

The benefits that come with joining the team have created an excellent experience for Babb.

“The computers are nice, but we also get to travel more now that we are becoming a bigger program,” Babb said.

He is very thankful to have met this group of people through the team.

“If you are really into gaming, this is a different community that you would not meet just walking around campus,” Babb said.

Babb is making the most of his final season at Virginia Wesleyan and hopes to bring a trophy back by the end of the season, but the hope for a trophy requires more than just his own hard work. Leadership plays a pivotal role in how far the teams go in the playoffs as well.

Senior and captain Paul Nelson, who plays on the Overwatch team, described what being a captain was like.

Nelson said that his responsibilities involve “working on running team practices and making sure the team was in the best position possible for each upcoming week, which includes starting lineup changes and other adjustments.”

Being a captain also goes well beyond working with one’s own school.

“We play in two different leagues, so I had to work with other schools to coordinate our matches and when we play,” Nelson said.

Along with Babb, Nelson has met some of his best friends since joining the program during his first year.

Senior Kira Blagg, described the nerves throughout the process of joining the Esports team this year. “I was unsure about joining the team at first, but I went to one of the practices and enjoyed it so I have been there ever since,” Blagg said. Being a part of the team can be

a lot when balancing the two to sometimes three-hour practices along with film sessions, but Blagg has made many friends since joining.

To watch the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins Esports team in action, fans can visit their Twitch channel: twitch.tv/vwu_esports.

Swimming cruises through records

BY BRIAN MADDEN bvmadden@vwu.edu

From Feb. 10-13, the Men’s and Women’s Swim teams competed in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. The men finished seventh out of eight schools with a total of 123 points, while breaking nine school records. The women finished sixth out of 11, totaling at 178 points, with 10 broken school records.

Many of the Marlins swimmers got to compete in finals after breaking school records in preliminaries and many of the swimmers who swam in finals went faster at night. “A lot of people had a best time,” first-year team member Suzanna Fernandez said.

Head Coach Kristian Ramksvist received a text from another coach after the meet ended saying they loved how much of a team the Marlins were, and how they were always cheering together. “Other coaches saw our team dynamic,” junior and team captain Sarah Verbeck said.

Leading the men’s team was sophomore Cael Long, who finished fourth in the men’s 200 Individual Medley preliminary rounds, earning a spot in the finals and breaking a school record. In the finals, Long placed fifth and earned Third Team AllConference.

Long participated in the men’s 4x200 freestyle relay along with first-year Declan Keener, junior Andrew McMullen and sophomore Logan Schohn. Together they broke a school record with a time of 7:34.41 seconds.

The men’s 4x50 freestyle relay which was swam by Long, Keener, first-year Elias Paulino and McMullen claimed eighth place. Long’s split time broke another school record with a time of 21.73. Long also secured more school records in the men’s 100 butterfly preliminaries with a time of 50.93 and the men’s 100 breaststroke with a time of 59.46. Long finished sixth in the 100 fly final and 11th in the 100 breast

final.

Long, Keener, McMullen and Schohn broke a record in the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay. In the first leg of the relay, Long broke another school record in 100 freestyle with a time of 47.94.

For the women’s team, junior Lauren Hendricks finished sixth in the women’s 100 freestyle preliminaries and set a school record with a time of 53.72. In the finals, she broke her own record with a time of 53.25 and claimed fourth. She earned Second Team All-Conference in the women’s 100 freestyle.

The All-Conference award in swimming is given to those who make top eight in individual events. First Team All-Conference is given to first, second and third place swimmers. Second Team All-Conference is given to fourth and fifth place swimmers, and Third Team All-Conference is given to sixth, seventh and eighth place swimmers.

In the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay, Hendricks, first-year Sarah Czapp, first-year Erin Beaudry and Fernandez came in sixth place. Hendricks’ recorded split time in the women’s 200 freestyle was the fastest time in school history, with a time of 1:58.31.

The women’s 4x50 freestyle relay team composed of Hendricks, Czapp, Fernandez and junior and team captain Audrey Roberts came in sixth and broke a school record with a time of 1:41.23.

Czapp, Beaudry, Hendricks and Roberts came in sixth in the women’s 4x100 freestyle relay. They broke a school record with a time of 3:45.11.

Hendricks finished eighth in the 200 freestyle preliminaries, breaking a school record and earning a spot in the finals with a time of 1:58.11. Her time of 1:58.17 earned eighth place in the finals and was only .06 seconds away from her own school record.

Fernandez placed ninth in the women’s 100 backstroke prelims and broke a school record with a time of 1:02.02. She finished 10th in the finals with a time of 1:02.41.

In the women’s 200 backstroke, Fernandez finished 10th in the

preliminaries and broke another school record with a time of 2:14.74. She broke her own record in the finals of this event, also coming in 10th with a time of 2:14.61. Hendricks took 12th place in the women’s 50 freestyle preliminaries, setting a new school record at 24.61. She came in 10th in the finals with a time of 24.70.

Paulino credits part of this success with great teamwork and picking teammates up while simultaneously pushing them to do better.

“A lesson I learned from my teammates is that cheering them on goes a long way,” Paulino said.

“If your teammate cheers you

up and gives you a pep talk, it honestly goes a long way,” Paulino said. The men’s team showed a great deal of comradery in making sure their teammates felt like their part matters as much as everyone else. Overall, the Marlins fought hard in a tough conference. Fernandez provided insight on how much this meet meant to them and what it did for the team. “It was fun to watch my teammates race each other,” Fernandez said. They displayed a great deal of teamwork and made sure they cheered everyone on no matter what. Both teams gained valuable experience for their younger swimmers and fond memories for the upperclassmen.

Colette Kearney|Marlin Chronicle

First-year Suzanna Fernandez, first-year Sarah Czapp, first-year

Erin Beaudry and junior Lauren Hendricks stand on the podium after the 4x200 freestyle relay at ODACS.

Laila Jones|Marlin Chronicle

Senior Kira Blagg (left) and sophomore Kevin McSwain (right) pose in front of VWU Esports sign at the tournament Feb. 23.

SportS

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to recruitment; however, it can also be an advantage as it shows a player’s commitment to the program.

“With Division III, it’s a struggle to entice some of those top tier athletes without any money, but then if you do get those athletes, they’re here because they truly want to compete,” Women’s Softball Assistant Coach Brianna Burger said.

Adding on to the advantages of DIII recruitment, Women’s Field Hockey Head Coach Ryley van der Velde said, “I think what we can sell at DIII is kind of a whole person experience. You get that competitive aspect, right, but it’s not as much pressure as a Division I program. We have student athletes who play a sport and do theater… so they’re able to have several different identities.”

When recruiting top talent, DIII coaches may find themselves in a tug-ofwar competition with Division I schools. Bowers talked about his approach to recruitment when in situations such as this.

“I think our players want to win; they want to be successful, so that’s what we sell the difference between a Division I and Division III,” Bowers said.

Bowers emphasized that DIII schools offer the opportunity to go further in a tournament than may be possible at the DI level. “The best you’re ever going to do [in Division I] is win a conference

TENNIS

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record of 4-2, as of March 3, with wins over Piedmont University, Pfeiffer University, Goucher College and Division II Chowan University. The women’s team, although their spring season started later than the men’s, started on a high note. Despite losing to Chowan 3-6, they turned around and beat Elizabeth City State University 7-0.

Bickford preaches to her players the importance of being 1% better every day, whether that be in tennis, school or their personal life, but especially mentally.

championship because you’re going to get crushed in the first round if you make the NCAA tournament. Here, you have a chance to compete for a national championship, and that’s something that we try to sell to them,” Bowers said.

Another advantage of Division III recruiting is the ability to take risks. Van der Velde can attest to this, as she recruited a player after seeing her film and only watching her in person once or twice. This player ended up being recognized as a top player in the ODACs.

“I think that I’m never afraid to take a risk, you know. Based on a coach recommendation, if the film looks solid,” van der Velde said. “I think that’s the great thing about DIII is it’s really a trial process… everybody can kind of have an opportunity, and then we can make cuts or adjustments from there… big risk, big reward.”

Burger also talked about the reward of not necessarily seeking out the top talent of a recruiting class. “Oftentimes, we find ourselves not looking at the most talented, I mean they’re talented but not like the top product of the tournament, but those kids that just get after and get dirty… are staying for extra reps, and those little things that you can’t quite teach,” Burger said.

The importance of recruiting transcends the different divisions. As Bowers said, recruiting is “the lifeblood of your program.” Although Division III does not share in the liberty of offering athletic scholarships, this does not impede VWU

Similarly, senior Shannon Lewes stated that a post-match group meeting was crucial. “In the fall, we played Washington and Lee and we really got destroyed. Coach Toni had us go around and talk about one thing we did well and something we had to work on,” Lewes said.

Unlike other collegiate sports, Men’s and Women’s Tennis plays during the fall and spring seasons. The spring season is where it really matters; it’s where they play conference teams and when the conference and NCAA tournament occurs. Lewis and Zrnic like having a fall season. Zrnic said the extra playing time is beneficial “just to keep up playing tennis consistently so that we don’t come into the season so flat in the spring.”

the Scoreboard

coaches’ recruiting abilities, as programs such as Women’s Soccer and Softball are consistently National Championship contenders. “The good teams at our level are very talented and can compete with Division I teams,” Bowers said.

Bowers stressed that the most important aspect of winning is the culture of the team.

“I don’t think locker rooms win championships. Just because you have the best locker room or the best stadium or the best facility, those things help, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the difference between winning and losing… That doesn’t mean you have the best culture,” Bowers said.

Clearly, the strength of Division III recruiting outweighs its limitations. It emphasizes comprehensive recruiting, that is, recruiting a player for their capacities beyond their athletic abilities.

The fall is also a good time to learn how to play with new people. “It gives us the opportunity to get a few matches in and shake off some rust and kind of evaluate what we need to work on and what we need to focus on,” Lewes said. She also remarked on how exciting it is to play doubles with new people. “I have a freshman doubles partner which is exciting, I’m happy about that,” Lewes said. The men’s team will split their squad for their two matches both on March 16, one team will play United States Merchant Marine Academy at home and the other half will play at North Carolina Wesleyan College. The women play again on Monday, March 18 against Centre College.

the Schedule

SportsHead: Sabrina vs. Steph

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle BY SYDNEE WASHINGTON sawashington2@vwu.edu

On Feb. 17, WNBA player Sabrina Ionescu competed against NBA player Stephen Curry in the highly anticipated Starry 3-Point Contest. The contest has the same rules as previous NBA three-point tests, in which players have a minute and 10 seconds to make as many threes as they can out of 27 attempts.

This is the first time in history in which a WNBA player competed against an NBA player during the NBA All-Star Weekend, which typically features the best NBA players competing against each other.

The competition comes after Ionescu set a WNBA and NBA all-time record for a single round score in the three-point contest during the 2023 WNBA All-Star weekend. That same year, she also set the record for the most threes made in a single WNBA season with 128 threes. Her record-setting season sparked debates on whether Ionescu or Curry was a better shooter, setting the stage for the two to settle the debate in a head-to-head contest.

For the contest, Ionescu chose to shoot from the NBA regulation three-point line, which is 3 feet farther from the basket than the WNBA regulation three-point line. This difference in distance did not slow Ionescu down as she scored 26 points, but was defeated by Curry’s 29 points.

Despite the close match, people on social media, mostly men from what I saw, still tried to undermine Ionescu’s talent and women’s talent in general. Kenny Smith, a sports commentator for the event, said that Ionescu should have shot from the WNBA regulation three-point line to increase the fairness of the contest.

When his colleagues challenged him, he defended himself and said that she wouldn’t shoot with a men’s ball so why would she shoot NBA threes. He then said that there are men’s and women’s sports for a reason.

So let’s talk about how different women’s and men’s basketball are. I wouldn’t say that the two sports are exactly the same. There are obvious differences such as dunking. Women can dunk, and there are players that have dunked in WNBA games college games, and high school games. Women just do not dunk as often and as elaborately as men do.

Some may bring up the difference of pace between the two, but it’s truly not a drastic difference. There is also a difference in height, but again, the women are not far behind, and this is the case for many other distinctions.

The reason why there are differences in the first place is because of the lack of support and resources women’s basketball has in comparison to men’s. There haven’t been attempts to remedy the issue until recently, but the problem still exists. If you are a basketball fan, you will remember the insulting, unequal treatment of the women’s NCAA tournament versus the men’s tournament. That was just 3 years ago, and the misogyny surrounding the Steph versus Sabrina contest was only a few days ago.

Not to mention, the first WNBA game was in 1997, and the first NBA game was in 1946, a 50-year difference. If the women’s game started at the same time with the exact same resources and support as the men’s, women would be performing at very close levels to the men. I still think there would be slight differences due to the general hormonal differences between the two, although there are a plethora of men and women that defy these differences.

People need to respect the women’s game especially with how much it has grown and is continuing to grow. The new generation of women’s basketball (e.g. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Beckers, Juju Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo, Alyssa Pili, etc.) is proof of this growth, as they have been setting records left and right with not only their individual stats but also with the amount of people viewing their games.

Mars Johnson|Marlin Chronicle

Pink Dinghy endures hardships

BY CALEE LUKOWSKI crlukowski@vwu.edu

The Pink Dinghy is a small, adorable restaurant located at 609 19th Street near the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. With indoor and outdoor seating, bright colors and an open style kitchen, The Pink Dinghy is the perfect place to grab lunch with friends after a beach day or just to relax and catch up.

The original idea for The Pink Dinghy was conceived by Stephanie Dietz and Chase Pittman in February 2018. Dietz worked as a chef in New York before deciding to return to her roots in Virginia Beach. Dietz and her husband began doing pop-ups, where she met Pittman.

At the end of the pop-up, Pittman asked Dietz if she wanted to make it into a restaurant, and so The Pink Dinghy was founded.

The name was proposed by a neighboring business owner.

Many of the small businesses on the block sport beach themed names. The neighboring owner looked at the pink and coral colored building and said it looked like a little pink dinghy. Dietz and Pittman ran with the idea, and gave the restaurant idea a name and a building.

Like any new restaurant, The Pink Dinghy met its fair share of challenges as it was starting up. During the initial stages of redesigning the building to meet their purposes, a car ran straight into a newly added addition. Dietz and Pittman also had some troubles with contractors during the redesign.

Just over two years later, in June 2020, The Pink Dinghy was finally open for business. Being open in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic had its own challenges. “At that time there were so many rules and regulations that we were just a

takeout window…that was never the vision, we wanted it to be a small, intimate restaurant,” Dietz said.

The situation was certainly less than ideal for a new business. Unfortunately, the trials of life don’t stop there. Sadly, in October 2020, Dietz’s co-owner, Pittman, passed away. The struggles of this business would be enough to make anyone pessimistic, but The Pink Dinghy persevered.

Now, almost four years since its opening, The Pink Dinghy is a colorful staple to the community. Catering to both tourists and locals, The Pink Dinghy has a wonderful selection of foods and drinks. “We do have a lot of locals, and they are what keeps us afloat in the winter,” Dietz said.

“It’s just such a cute little place. It has a great summer vibe that just makes you feel good,” firstyear Adriana Paci said.

The Pink Dinghy also has many different themed nights and events. Every month, on the third Thursday, The Pink Dinghy hosts a themed food night called “Around the World in a Dinghy,” featuring different cities and cultures around the world.

The Virginia Beach Flea Market takes place in the parking lot of The Pink Dinghy and neighboring shops. In the warmer months, it takes place on the first Friday night of each month, and the rest of the year on the third Sunday morning.

Every Wednesday night, The Pink Dinghy hosts “Bistro Night,” which includes specials on burgers and bottles of wine. Every Thursday night, the restaurant hosts “Cantina Night” with taco and margarita specials. Occasionally, The Pink Dinghy also has wine tastings, with

an annual event held around Thanksgiving each year, where patrons can taste and preorder wines for their holiday meals.

On Sunday and Monday nights during the winter months, The Pink Dinghy also offers cooking classes. These classes sometimes have themes such as Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, cocktails, cake decorating and more. Classes are small to provide students with one-on-one instruction opportunities.

The Pink Dinghy is a wonderful spot with an inspiring story of perseverance. A review describes it as “a cute little pink hole in the wall,” and there truly isn’t any other way to describe it. The Pink Dinghy and Dietz are a perfect example of following your dreams, even through trials and tribulations.

Ethical shopping at Maison Soleil

Maison Soleil sells fair trade and locally produced goods to promote ethical consumerism and women-owned businesses.

BY MJ MATTHEWS mjmatthews@vwu.edu

Shopping that feels good can do good. Maison Soleil, a female and LGBTQIA+ owned fair trade boutique, proves this ten times over. The shop has been serving the Norfolk community for the past 7 years, and brings an array of ethically sourced goods and crafts from other women-owned businesses.

Beyond the betterment of humanity from shopping their products, the shop gives good to all who enter and hosts events supporting community wellness. The store offers a friendly and inclusive atmosphere that is undeniably feminist and fun.

The store is packed with all kinds of trinkets, accessories and daily must-haves. Their products range from stationary goods with motivational phrases and designs on them, to eco-friendly beauty in reusable and recyclable packaging, to vintage and second hand clothes to curate style sustainably.

Owner Lindsay Sims

appreciates her chosen selection of goods, and believes patrons will appreciate them as well.

“Look around the space, you’ll see products that are usually things that I like, I think my customers will like, and also, it meets our values of being woman-made, handmade, and if it’s made outside of the U.S., it’s fair trade certified,” Lindsay said. Walking through the store, patrons are greeted by bright hues and inspiring messages that are proudly queer. The space is bright and colorful, reflecting the friendly nature of the team. Beyond the display tables, there’s a vintage corner of second hand gems, paralleled by a microphone performance space.

The setup and company of the store is cheerful and cozy, with multiple seating areas alongside the store shelves and display tables. This is to accommodate daily store patrons, as well as community events the shop hosts, such as book clubs, open mic nights and writers workshops.

Walking in, the tone is immediately set up, with store

employees offering tea and coffee, asking names of any given customer, wholly engaged. This introduction cemented Maison Soleil’s neighborhood role: a comfortable place to hang out, a locally-contributing business.

Maison Soleil is a curated community spot. “I like the fact that we are a safe space for people who feel like they can come here and just be themselves,” Lindsay said. Through opening the store, Lindsay was seeking ways to empower women through business, but also to make new connections, fostering that with her space.

That vision has blossomed into what the store is today. Catering to people of all ages, with the main demographic being younger people, the store’s variety of events are made to include all sorts of interests and abilities.

The store is inclusive in spirit and in action. To make shopping sustainably and ethically more feasible for people, the store houses a “pay what you can” rack of second hand clothes, and

they have an afterpay program for pricier items, so people can save up or incrementally pay for something they really love. “I just feel like not everything that’s fair trade or ethically made should be super expensive,” Lindsay said. Fair trade certified products are manufactured by employees being paid a fair wage and treated with respect in safe working conditions, many companies going the extra mile to help workers get back on their feet or otherwise better their daily lives. These products, as well as those made by minority populations and entrepreneurs, tend to be higher in price than their bigbrand counterparts, to make up for the pay gap, small batches and better materials used.

Lindsay works to ensure her store is accessible to all, and is understanding of others’ financial situations, encouraging a slow switch to ethically-sourced products to support all parties involved.

“What is nice about shopping mindfully and basically with a conscience is that you don’t have

to be perfect…just that 1% more that you do every day makes a difference,” Lindsay said.

Stores that serve as a vehicle for fair trade and ethically-sourced products help make a living for many people in underprivileged communities and other extraordinary circumstances, but they may have a more difficult time staying afloat due to their higher prices.

Supporting stores like Maison Soleil has a tri-fold effect, giving back to local and global communities.

Maison Soleil is a friendly place to shop mindfully and maybe discover something new.

Some upcoming March events include a mic showcase (3/9, 7 p.m.), a writers workshop (3/10, 4 p.m.), a burlesque class (3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 7 p.m.), a clothing swap (3/16, 12 p.m.) and an open mic night (3/20, 7 p.m.) —full list on their Instagram @ maisonsoleilnfk.

Consider venturing to this pocket of sunshine store, located at 1611A Colley Ave, Norfolk, VA 23517.

Sasha Saxon|Marlin Chronicle

The menu features a Chili Honey Chicken Biscuit (top left), a classic sugar and a cinnamon donut (top right) and Chilaquiles.

Calee Lukowski|Marlin Chronicle

The Pink Dinghy offers a welcoming pink entrance and outdoor seating for the warmer months.

Marlins score perks with Admirals

BY SASHA SAXON ansaxon@vwu.edu

Batten Honors College senior Cara Caruso and alumnus Logan Woolcock can attest to the importance of forming interpersonal and professional relationships and the lessons learned beyond the classrooms of Virginia Wesleyan University.

Caruso has taken advantage of the opportunities afforded to her and created opportunities of her own. She majors in Business with a concentration in International Business and a minor in Biology.

Around campus, Caruso is recognizable as a member of the Virginia Wesleyan Women’s Volleyball team and the founder of the beach volleyball club, which she began two years ago. One might also see her in the Lighthouse where she works as an International Student Assistant and soon, she will be collaborating with the Marlins Go Green club as a part of her honors senior capstone project.

As her concentration might suggest, Caruso has shown interest in education beyond Virginia Beach. With her credits and dedication, she could have graduated a year early, but instead chose to study abroad in Brazil.

“It was like the best roller coaster I’ve ever been on in my whole life,” Caruso said. While abroad, she was able to make her experience work for her goals and earn necessary credits for her major.

Despite the fact that she no longer needed an internship for graduation, Caruso stumbled upon a position with the Norfolk Admirals–the area’s professional men’s ice hockey team that has played at mid and pro levels through the years according to their website–on LinkedIn.

Although it appeared the position might have been filled, she decided to connect with the team and network. Caruso was offered the position and was interviewed by a familiar face, Batten Honors College alumnus Logan Woolcock. Now, Caruso works off-campus as a Game Day Operations Intern for the team as well.

With four other interns, Caruso works behind the scenes at the Norfolk Scope Arena throughout the week, but especially when the team plays home games. She is on site for office hours during the week and assists in sales and merchandising, networking and fundraising, as well as accompanying the mascot and

generally ensuring everyone has what they need.

Although the position is unpaid, Caruso is enjoying the experience and preaches the mantra that has helped her in her undergraduate career thus far: “Take as many opportunities as you can when you’re a student.”

Woolcock studied Business with a special interest in Economics during his time as a student. He has always been sports-inclined, participating in intramurals at VWU. Now, as a working graduate, he’s found a way to marry his childhood appreciation for the hockey industry with his career.

During his senior year, Woolcock participated in an internship with the Norfolk Admirals, assisting with Game Day Operations. Once the season was over, Woolcock was brought on as a full-time staff immediately upon graduation in May 2023.

Woolcock formed significant relationships with students and professors at VWU and accumulated valuable life lessons from Accounting and Strategic Management courses.

“I don’t particularly feel as though my degree contributed to my current position at all,” Woolcock said. This post-

baccalaureate realization can be coupled with the U.S. Bureau of the Census’ report in 2010, which found that only 27.3 percent of college graduates felt they were working in a job that related specifically to their major.

Woolcock’s career pursuits outside the classroom helped him earn the position of Sales & Operations Coordinator for the Norfolk Admirals. In preparation for the team’s games, he spends a considerable amount of time coordinating group experiences, season packages or premium hospitality reservations for clients.

“It takes a bit more time than you think to coordinate with some of our larger clients and fulfill specific needs or requests,” Woolcock said. The hours of his new job can definitely take their toll as he often works weekends, coming in on Saturday mornings during the season.

However, during the games, Woolcock works in conjunction with the director of Entertainment to oversee the entire show and is responsible for the audience’s experience, executing in-game fan entertainment outside the hockey game.

“I feel unbelievably grateful to be in the position that I am,”

Woolcock said. “This is a huge turnaround year for the team, and we’re in a playoff position for the first time in about 10 years.”

Woolcock is especially grateful for the sense of community that fills the arena.

“The feeling of being a part of the organization as they do things they haven’t done for a decade is exhilarating,” he said. “When I look around during a game and I see the Scope Arena filled up with fans who love this team, and I know that I have a part in the show that they are all here to see, it fills me with a sense of pride that is honestly tough to put into words. I have the unique opportunity to generate smiles and create memories for people when I’m at work, and the blessing of that position is not lost on me.”

Career development can stem from unexpected sources, such as alumni passing the internship baton or a travel experience opening a student’s eyes to new interests.

Regardless, the personal stories above illustrate how college is a place to form connections and pursue all avenues as much as it is a place of academic achievement.

‘One Love’ explores Marley’s life

REVIEW

BY JENNIFER MEJIA jpmejia@vwu.edu

The nostalgic smell of popcorn permeates the air as soon as patrons walk in. It’s coupled with the printing of tickets and the shrill voices of children playing arcade games. While it may be enticing to stream movies at home, movie theaters still hold a particular charm. Some couples seem to love the idea of going on movie dates, so it is not surprising to see that revenue increases around Valentine’s Day. This year, the movie “Bob Marley: One Love” (2024), released right on this romantic holiday.

Like many recent movies seeking to demystify celebrities, this PG-13 film is an intimate glimpse of the larger-than-life musical figure Bob Marley and follows his life during the political turmoil in Jamaica. Ben KingsleyAdir, a British actor in “Barbie” (2023) and “One Night in Miami” (2020), did his best to embody the man who was to become the face of not just reggae, Rastafarianism and Jamaica, but of revolution, resistance and peace.

Beyond the rich storytelling,

the film includes Marley’s powerful and famous songs as the soundtrack for his life–“No Woman No Cry,” “Redemption Song,” “Could You Be Loved,” “Three Little Birds,” “Stir it Up,” “Get Up, Stand Up,” “Buffalo Soldier,” “Jammin’,” “Is This Love,” “One Love/ People Get Ready” and “War” make an appearance.

“Bob Marley” is a compelling tribute to a cultural icon who died too soon and whose message of love, unity and redemption continues to resonate across generations. The film’s use of archival footage and interviews with Marley’s inner circle at the end of the film provided an intimate portrayal of the man behind the music, and shows the complexities and passions of the legendary figure.

Not only is this film a historical capsule, its themes are universal and relevant. Love, unity and social justice remain just as relevant today as they did in Marley’s time. “Bob Marley” is both an educational and inspirational film, offering audiences a deeper understanding of Marley’s life and the sociopolitical context in which he lived and created his music.

The film begins and ends with the iconic One Love Peace Concert of 1978 in Jamaica, aimed at uniting the country torn by violence. Bob Marley, while performing “Jammin’,” symbolically invited rival political leaders Edward Seaga and Michael Manley on stage and had them hold hands together.

Throughout the film, Marley’s concerns about Jamaica’s unrest are evident, with recurring images of burning fields reflecting his memories. Despite being predominantly set in Europe, the film revolves around Marley’s deep connection to the struggles of his fellow Jamaicans and others facing similar challenges worldwide. In response to objections from white executives about touring in Africa due to its perceived lack of infrastructure, Marley asserts, “So we build it.”

And so, the world tour included a road trip to Africa, where even though there wasn’t much stage infrastructure to perform in, Marley and his associates took the time to construct it themselves in order to reach wider audiences. Hardships and obstacles like the lack of infrastructure were not something that stopped Bob Marley from reaching his fans.

The film delves into how Marley internalizes these issues and channels them into his music, which ultimately defines the essence of “Bob Marley.”

“I think they did a really good job in showing how he impacted the politics in Jamaica as well, they really did amazing with showing that concert at the end.

It really captured the theme of unity,” sophomore Jelina Swan said.

“Bob Marley: One Love” is a compelling and multifaceted cinematic experience that appeals to a many audiences. From music enthusiasts to those interested in cultural history and social activism, it’s a movie for all.

Jennifer Mejia|Marlin Chronicle

“Bob Marley: One Love” was shown at the Regal Columbus.